amphithecium

[ am-fuh-thee-shee-uh m ]
/ ˌæm fəˈθi ʃi əm /

noun, plural am·phi·the·ci·a [am-fuh-thee-shee-uh] /ˌæm fəˈθi ʃi ə/.

Botany. the layer or one of the layers of cells in the capsule of a moss surrounding the spores.
Mycology. (in certain lichens) a layer of cells that surrounds the fungal apothecium.

Origin of amphithecium

< New Latin < Greek amphi- amphi- + thēkíon ( thḗk(ē) case, cover + -ion diminutive suffix)

OTHER WORDS FROM amphithecium

am·phi·the·cial [am-fuh-thee-shuh l, -shee-uh l, -see-uh l] /ˌæm fəˈθi ʃəl, -ʃi əl, -si əl/, adjective

Words nearby amphithecium

amphistomous, amphistylar, amphithalamus, amphitheater, amphitheatre, amphithecium, amphithemis, amphithuron, amphithyra, amphithyron, amphitricha

British Dictionary definitions for amphithecium

amphithecium
/ (ˌæmfɪˈθiːsɪəm) /

noun plural -cia (-sɪə)

the outer layer of cells of the sporophyte of mosses and liverworts that develops into the outer parts of the spore-bearing capsule

Word Origin for amphithecium

C19: from New Latin, from amphi- + Greek thēkion a little case, from thēkē case